


i love, enchantingly

by Anonymous



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, i love hsmtmts so much, i would die for ricky bowen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21727435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Ricky and EJ aren't friends. However, after a little communication and a lot of subconscious lusting, they just might be.or"I just... you're the only other person that could understand how I'm feeling right now. Last night... Nini broke up with me. I need someone to talk to and you're my best bet. How about ice cream on me?"
Relationships: E.J. Caswell & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen & E.J. Caswell, Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/E.J. Caswell
Comments: 7
Kudos: 170
Collections: Anonymous





	1. i love, enchantingly

**Author's Note:**

> _"I love, enchantingly. I live in pain."_  
>  -Sor Juana Inés de La Cruz, "Sonnet 165"

Ricky walked into school the day after the musical feeling refreshed and excited. It had gone better than anyone had ever imagined it could; everyone had known all their lines and no one missed a beat. And, while it had been great to perform with Nini and revel in their friendship, Ricky was long past trying to get her back. Big Red and him had had a talk after Ricky's more... unsuccessful attempts at getting Nini back, and he had realized that maybe Big Red had a point about letting it go.

 _Besides_ , Ricky had told himself, _she and EJ are happy together. I shouldn't ruin that._

Ricky was startled out of his reflection on about last night when he almost bumped into Carlos on the way to his locker. Carlos looked him up and down before he began to talk in a soft whisper.

"Hey Ricky, have you heard the news? Apparently, Nini broke up with EJ last night. Just thought you should know."

Carlos quickly walked away after that, racing to catch up with Seb. Ricky just stood there, blocking traffic in the hall while he contemplated what he had just been told.

So, Nini broke up with EJ. He always thought it would have been the other way around, but Nini proves him wrong. He searched deep inside himself, but found no jealous feelings. Just a little pride in Nini for doing what she had to do.

As Ricky began to walk again after one too many dirty looks, he wondered only one thing:

_Why did they break up?_

_-_

Ricky was shocked awake at the end of sixth period when the bell rang. He had dozed off in his English class, a little tired after the long night yesterday. It felt weird to just leave the school after the last bell because of all the after school practice they had been having since the start of the year. Ricky was going to miss High School Musical: The Musical, but he was planning on auditioning for whatever they decided to put on next. After all, maybe he was a theater kid now.

Ricky walked out the double doors at the entrance of the school with that melancholy feeling still hanging over him. He pulled out his phone, ready to text Big Red that they should meet at the skate park when someone suddenly tapped his shoulder. Ricky turned to find none other than EJ Caswell himself standing behind him, looking more than a little forlorn.

"Hey, Ricky," EJ began, shuffling his feet and playing with the cuffs of his varsity jacket,"Got a moment?"

Ricky just stared at him for a few seconds before responding.

"You realize we're not friends, right?" He said with only the teensiest bit of venom in his voice.

EJ winced.

"Yeah, I get that. I just... you're the only other person that could understand how I'm feeling right now. Last night... Nini broke up with me. I need someone to talk to and you're my best bet. How about ice cream on me?" EJ said, not meeting Ricky's eyes.

Ricky contained his shock, and managed to keep a straight face. He glanced at his phone, still open to Big Red's contact, and then at EJ. Staring at EJ, he found he could see some part of himself, however small, reflected in his stance. Pitiful, yes, but also extremely sad. Ricky sighed.

"You're driving and I'm allowed to get whatever I want."

EJ cracked a tiny smile at that.

"You've got a deal."

-

Ricky entered the shop first, saying hi to the women behind the counter. He heard EJ's noise of surprise behind him and turned to explain.

"You're not the only one who uses ice cream to comfort themselves after a breakup."

EJ just made a small noise of acknowledgement before leading them to the counter. It had been awkward in the car, because just like now, EJ had only grunted or made noises when Ricky talked. Eventually, Ricky stopped trying and the silence between them became deafening. Ricky sure was glad when they arrived at the ice cream shop.

They sat at the bar stools in front of the counter while Loretta, Ricky's favorite waitress, came over to take their orders. EJ ordered first.

"I'll have a large root beer float, please."

Ricky shared a mischievous smile with Loretta before he ordered.

"And I'll have the Overload sundae, with mint chip, vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, and strawberry. Two scoops of each, please. And can you put M&Ms, Nerds, and gummy bears on top along with the whipped cream, peanuts, and fudge. Oh, and 6 cherries!"

Loretta took a few seconds to finish writing down the order before she looked up.

"You always go the extra mile, don't you, Mr. Bowens?"

"You know me, Loretta," Ricky said with a laugh and a wink.

The waitress walked away, shaking her head at Ricky's antics. Ricky turned to face EJ, looking at him expectantly.

"So, what do you need to say to me?"

"It's just... after the big show last night, Nini pulled me aside. You were celebrating with the rest of the cast, so I'm sure you didn't notice. She said some stuff about how I betrayed her trust and I pretended like I didn't know what she was talking about... but I did."

EJ stopped and took a breath before he began to tell Ricky the next part.

"I... I took Nini's phone at the start of the show and went through it. That's why she never got that sappy message you left her. I deleted it. I was just so angry at you and her, and... well, everything, I guess."

Ricky was surprised after he heard that. He had known EJ was an asshole, yes, but to look through Nini's phone without permission. Ricky would have never stopped that low - it just wasn't in him. Ricky nodded at EJ to signal him to continue.

"Somehow, she found out," EJ said, staring at the floor and fidgeting with a napkin on the counter. "She was very respectful when she ended it - I bet she didn't want to make a scene - but I could just see the cold anger behind her eyes. I know there's no way I'm getting her back."

EJ cut himself off after that and the two sat in a neutral silence for a while - it was neither comfortable nor awkward, it just was.

Their silence was interrupted when Loretta returned with their ice cream and Ricky went through the usual routine of his jokester thanks. They both began to eat, and as Ricky shoveled the sundae into his mouth, he thought about the situation at hand.

EJ was most definitely in the wrong here. Ricky and Nini ended their relationship because things were just... not the same as they used to be. EJ and Nini ended their relationship because he was a bad dude (at least for that short while). Ricky knew that what EJ had done was bad, but he had also seen a remarkable improvement on the other boy's part throughout the course of the show. He was kinder, more involved, cared more about others. Ricky guesses that the combined effect of both Nini and everyone else on the cast had been to make EJ a better person.

Finally, EJ broke both the silence and Ricky's train of thought.

"And, it's just... I regret it so much, you know?" EJ said, twirling his spoon around the glass of his root beer float. "Nini is such a great girl, and to be honest, even in the beginning I felt like I didn't deserve her. I know I'm not the nicest guy - I'm self-centered, narcissistic, and just an all-around asshole, I get that.

"I just... I really wanted to deserve Nini. And now it know that I don't."

Ricky started at EJ for a few seconds after that confession. EJ was not meeting his eyes.

Ricky spoke in a soft tone. "EJ... it's alright that you and Nini are over. Not all relationships last forever, as I would know, and not all relationships match whatever fictional version you've built in your head.

"I thought Nini and I were perfect. We had been together for so long, and we liked each other so much. And then, she made this video where she told me that she loved me. And posted it to Instagram, for the whole world to see."

Ricky stopped, his memories flooding his brain and bringing back all the horrible emotions he associated with that time. He took a breath before continuing, noticing that EJ was now looking at him.

"I... I'm sure you've heard that my parents are in the process of splitting up. I don't hear that word - love - often, and well, I panicked. I was 16, how was I supposed to know if I loved Nini? Sometimes, it seems like everything comes easy to her. Not in a bad way, just in a way that's different from everyone else.

"It was so easy for her to say those words, to feel them. And... well, it was really hard for me. So, I suggested we take a break and then she met you.

"It was hard for me to reconcile everything I was feeling. That song I sang for my audition... that was the song that Nini had posted. It felt right at the time, but now looking back, I'm no so sure it was. I think... I think I just wanted to hold on to what we had. My life was so hectic; junior year was just beginning and I could tell my parents were heading towards something, even if I didn't know what it was. I think I just wanted the stability that Nini have me."

Ricky took a deep breath after he finished talking. EJ was still staring right at him, expression unreadable. Ricky couldn't bear his gaze, so he turned back to his sundae that was half-melted and resumed eating.

They were silent again for a little while until EJ began to talk, his voice almost whisper-like in quality. Ricky turned.

"I... I get what you're saying. And I know this sounds horrible but when Nini told me that we were finished I felt almost...

"Relieved."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This little fandom has inspired me to start writing again after the longest drought, so I'll forever be grateful for that. Ricky and EJ just need to see that they're in love with each other, damn it! If you liked this story so far, I'm interested in writing more for this fandom, so please comment below if you want to be my beta!


	2. i live in pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _"Why are passions prettier in the dark?"_  
>  \- Nikita Gill, "Great Goddesses"

Ricky invited EJ back to his house after the two finished up their ice cream. He had made sure that EJ had given Loretta a large tip. After EJ had made his second, even bigger confession, Ricky had seen how hard it had been for him to admit that. So, Ricky steered the conversation towards lighter topics, such as the production, the cast, and the previous night. They talked about Carlos' determination, Gina's scariness, Seb's niceness, and EJ's drive to succeed. Ricky has noticed that during the production, EJ worked hard every day to make his performance the best it could be. Ricky liked people who were motivated, as he himself had also been working his hardest for the musical. He knew EJ had invested a lot of time into his prep and it had paid off. After their discussion, Ricky had to admit to himself that all the things he had been pushing down in favor of hating EJ were coming right back up. Ricky appreciated the guy, even if he could be an asshole sometimes.

So, Ricky's reasoning for inviting EJ back to his house was that they could hang out together and Ricky could help EJ get his mind off the breakup. God knows that would have made Ricky's own breakup with Nini better. Big Red had been there, but the guy doesn't exactly have the most experience in the dating department, so it was safe to say that his help wasn't the best.

The two drove to Ricky's house in a much better fashion than they had in the way to the ice cream shop. EJ gave Ricky the aux to play some music and the two laughed and talked about the musical.

Their relationship was far from perfect, but Ricky could tell they were recognizing the faults of both each other and themselves, and then getting past them. Ricky's invitation to come over was the olive branch of their peace deal, something to signal that they were past the petty bickering.

-

They arrived at Ricky's house soon after leaving the ice cream shop. Ricky walked in first to see the lights were off, and there was some evidence of his dad's late night game nights with his friends. Ricky just ushered EJ up to his room, then came back down to turn on the lights and open some windows. When Ricky returned to his room, he found EJ sitting on his bed, checking his phone. EJ quickly turned his phone off and then shoved it halfway under his leg when he noticed Ricky enter. Ricky smiled sympathetically as he took a seat next to EJ.

"If you're checking for a text or something from Nini... I can tell you from experience that it's not gonna come. That's... that's not Nini."

EJ sighed deeply. "I... I think I know that, deep down. It's just nice to have some hope, you know."

 _Boy, do I know_ , Ricky thought.

"Well, how about we play some games or something?" Ricky got up and started to rifle through his box of games. "Let's see, I have Call of Duty, Minecraft, FIFA, and I guess Big Red left his copy of Neighbors here?"

EJ let out a huff of laughter. "How about we watch the movie? I need to laugh right now."

Ricky opened the DVD and slid it into the PS4 as EJ made himself comfortable behind him. Ricky grabbed the remote and a couple of blankets before he jumped onto the bed. EJ had buried himself into the pillows on the bed. Ricky tossed him a blanket and the two wrapped themselves up like burritos as the movie began.

-

They watched the movie in a comfortable silence until they reached the scene where the main couple is having a fight. Ricky heard some small sniffles coming from next to him and turned to see EJ with tears on his face. They were falling slow and big, fat teardrops sliding down his cheeks.

"I... I knew we were over for a while before Nini told me," EJ whispered.

Ricky scooted closer to lean on his side, balanced on his elbow. He stared down at EJ.

"Nini and I... we weren't a good match. We fought too much and cared about each other too little. It... it was kinda fucked up, to be honest."

EJ let out another sniffle and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. Ricky reaches out and paused the movie.

As Ricky patiently waited for EJ to speak again, he couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in the light of the TV. The blue of the TV made his eyes pop, and his tan skin seemed to glow. Ricky could see why Nini had fallen for him; he truly could.

"Now... now that we're over, I just want to be a better person. I want to be someone who doesn't do that type of shit anymore. I... I want to be like you, Ricky."

Ricky felt his cheeks go pink. A compliment from EJ was so unexpected that it shook him to his core. EJ stared up at him, eyes bright and genuine.

"You're such a good person, Ricky. You put your all into the show, even when you didn't want to do it. You made friends with Gina, you helped out Carlos, you treat Big Red like your brother. Everyone likes you so much, and you totally deserve it."

Ricky could see EJ's sincerity reflected in his expression.

"What about you?" Ricky whispered, intimately aware of how close they were.

"What about me?"

"Do you like me too?"

EJ nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. Ricky leaned down until he could feel EJ's breath on his face. They looked at each other, frozen in this little moment in time.

"I... I like you so much, Ricky." EJ's voice cracked on the last word as he closed the distance between them.

EJ's lips were soft, softer than Ricky would have expected from a guy. He knew how to kiss, too. Ricky could feels his toes curling up as he shifted to get a better vantage point to kiss back. EJ's hands were tangled in his hair and Ricky was cupping EJ's cheeks. They kissed until they couldn't breathe and even then they only stopped for a second.

-

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of him just basking in EJ's lips, Ricky pulled away.

"For the record," he said breathlessly, "I like you so much too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this! Once again, I'm looking for a beta for some hsmtmts fics, so please comment below if you're interested!


End file.
